Ok dup, here we go. The first thing I ever do to any RV when we get it home from the dealer:
* Remove every screw I can access, fill the hole with Geocel Proflex, and reinstall screws. I also seal up all of the vinyl trim inserts with Proflex.
* Change all faucets to residential style. They just last longer and work better. In most cases I'll install shut off valves at each sink / toilet as well. If something goes wrong with one thing, the whole rig isn't down. You can isolate the problem.
* Delete black flush back flow check valve and use an inline on at the black flush intake. They leak. Just in the last week I've seen 2-3 threads on them leaking. I've been cutting them out for at least 12 years due to this.
* Install slide out glides under each end of the slide, if not already done. I use the ones from Majestic Formed Plastics. I can explain more if need be. These will prevent rain water running down each end of the slide from wicking underneath and rotting the floor. A stock Jayco has exposed screw holes underneath, and it WILL rot over time if this is not addressed in one way or another. Just spray the sides of a slide, and watch what the water does at the bottom. It goes underneath several inches.
* MaxxAir dark vent covers on all vents.
* Insulation pillows in all vents.
* Reflectix bubble insulation in most of the windows to keep the heat out.
* Cover, or completely delete the skylights. See my mod thread for more info on this one.
* Seam coat over all dicor using ProGuard coatings product.
* We can maintain 70-72 deg interior temps in 100 deg outside temps in direct sunlight, so some of the above may be of interest to you if full timing.
Those are just the ones off the top of my head. So, it looks like you're going to be full timing for a bit, so that introduces a few more things.
I will ditto what need-a-vacation said on the black / gray tanks. We have full timed twice. Once in a 40' 4-slide rig, and once in our present rig. Eventually you'll get it down to an art as to when tanks need to be dumped. Our black tank was once a week I think. So, night before, I'd shut gray off to let that tank fill, then the next day while dumping the black I'd have a bunch of gray water to flush everything out.
Stabilizing. If it's going to be sitting there a year or so, sitting on the tires and stabilizers aint going to get it. Tires will lose air, things will shift etc. What we always did, was set the rig up, and install 6 Camco 16-30" telescoping jack stands under the frame. Here's a link to the ones I have:
Telescopic Stabilizing Stabilizer Jack - $52.87
This does a few things. For one, it stabilizes the rig. The stock scissor jacks aint going to do it. Too much wobble. Two, over time, if your tires lose air, you won't notice as you'll pretty much be blocked up like a mobile home. I've had this happen. Sat 6 months, went to rig down, and 1 tire was at 10 psi. Never noticed any shift on the rig as it was all on jack stands. Just a thought.
A deck. May sound crazy, but NOBODY camps full time with just a weekender camping mat. We opted to get 6 free pallets and some cheap plywood and built a cheap 7x12 deck and painted it with some deck paint. I think I was out maybe $30-50 tops. It's just worth it to have a non-muddy ground outside your rig. You're living, not camping.
Awning supports / tie downs. You'll just have to look at my mod thread to see these. I left my awning out for 95% of the time we were living in it. Only exception was some super crazy storm or something like that. Other than that, it was out, and the sunscreen on as well.
These are just a few things. Getting late, but I'll post more as I think of them.
You had posted on my thread, but not sure you looked through all of it. Might be worth it for a few ideas. Here's a link to it:
http://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f3...hbe-30052.html
Wishing you luck on yall's adventure. We have 3 kids as well, 2 girls at 8 and 2, and 1 boy at 6. Guess you might have seen that in the signature. I'll post more as I think about it. Feel free to PM if you need some details.